In Memory: Sea Breeze
by shadow sweeper
Summary: The day when his father left always haunted Raimundo. Noticing Rai's strange behavior, Clay, Kimiko, and Omi finally ask of the Dragon of the Wind's stressed behavior. Giving in, he tells the story of the past...
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: To Dream of Home

Sometimes I wonder why I'm here at the temple. No, it's not because I betrayed the temple once already, it's because I'm just sitting here. It's always get up, eat, train, eat, Wu, eat, and sleep! When we don't have anything going on, there's pretty much nothing to do except… well, nothing. I know we can't go home in between breaks, but I just want to keep looking. That is, to keep looking for Dad. Did he die? Did he find someone else other than Ma? Does he have other children? (Creepy….) Is he even alive any more? Ma sometimes writes about him in some letters. My little brothers and sisters never even met him. It's like he just vanished into thin air. The main question actually is what happened to Pa at all?

The temple is always a great place to hang. Here, I got my friends, or at least most of them. What do Marco and Trent do while I'm gone? Wait, I know what they do. Those two nut heads probably practice without me. They e-mail me saying it's not the same as the whole entire band together, especially without the leader. I can almost picture the fan club throwing rocks at them and screaming out that they want me. I'm not saying that's good or anything, because I'm saying that's just not right and those girls creep me out. Back in Brazil, the circus was like a non-stop place for the "I-Love-Rai Club." Man, why couldn't they pick I different name?

I miss my brothers and sisters. All eight of them use to play pranks on me when I wasn't looking. (Taught to them by the oldest brother!) Dude, they use to put "kick me" signs on my back without me knowing it, they would steal my teddy b— what, lot's of guys sleep with teddy bears, all right? Not that I actually have one or anything, but… Don't insult Ninja Fred, y'all! Stop laughing! Just because you just hate to admit I'm awesome— would you guys cut that out! It's not funny! Good thing Ma isn't here. She'd be going all "Rai, aren't you the cutest when you try to lie?" Man, I just hate it when parents go cooing all over their kids! Personally, when you have eight brothers and sisters, you know. Me? I'm not jealous! You're laughing at me again!

--

"_Hey, Pa, I made a goal!" shouted a young Raimundo gleefully. _

_Mr. Pedrosa gave a hearty laugh and nodded. _

"_You keep it up at this rate, you'll be a true soccer champ in a week! Come on now, let's get back to get some dinner. Your mother ought to cook up something good."_

_Raimundo hurried after his dad. What was that totally uplifting smell? Ah, it smelled like Ma's famous chocolate chip cookies. She'd probably tell them to back off of them and eat the actually meals before eating the deserts. Juanita Pedrosa's cookies _were _only the best deserts… Either way, Raimundo's mother would always get out her old handcrafted wooded broom and thwack everyone who approached the cookies until dinner. The young brunette boy could not help but wonder why be so protected over cookies. Oh yeah, awards and blue ribbons. It never failed._

Finally getting to the house, the father and son were greeted by all aunts and uncle, not to mention the smell of a cooked chicken. With so many family members, their area of the Sea Breeze Circus had to be large. Every close aunts, uncles, friends, and cousins were all crammed into that one section. Almost everyday the "sub-tent", it would seem to get only bigger and bigger.

_As Raimundo dug into his mother's first prize food, Juanita pulled her husband back._

"_There's something serious to talk to you about, Andre," Juanita said solemnly._

--

"No!" I shouted while bolting up from my cot. It had been the seventh time I had a dream like that. That dream always stopped when Ma was about to tell Dad the bad news. Each time I watch that, it kills to know that that very moment in time changed my life even more than when I became a monk. When I became an Apprentice. When I became a Wudai Warrior. I'm sure that day will stick in my mind even when I become a Dragon Master. (Hopefully, I'll be far, FAR away from Omi by then. Talk about a chatterbox!)

As usual, the others hear me. Nah, I didn't wake them up or anything. I'm just usually the one sleeping in the latest on a weekend. They're probably already done with that dull, plain bowl of rice we have for breakfast. In fact, it seems we have a bowl of rice or noodles for each meal of the day. Food made by the clowns at the circus could even do better!

"Raimundo, is it not the one of many times you have not shouted so loudly?" Omi asked in his annoying little voice of his as Kimiko and Clay followed him into my room. (What? Just because we live in the same temple doesn't mean I don't have to think he's a…)

"Hold on a minute, Keiko. Yeah, Sleeping Beauty! You've been screaming a lot lately in your sleep lately. Have you been eating any sugary midnight snacks?" Kimiko added.

"You should try my method, partner," Clay suggested.

"What did you have in mind?"

"Square dancin'!"

This day would be sure to be absolutely lovely. Well, if you spelled lovely like this:

"H-A-T-E-F-U-L"!

--

So, how'd you like the first chapter? As you see, the title has an intro saying "In Memory." That's because In Memory is a series of stories I'm going to make for each character. Raimundo's In Memory came to mind first, so here you go. Please R&R!


	2. Back to the Past

Chapter 2: Back to the Past

The next morning it was rainy outside. Usually I would sleep in, but the thunder got to loud, so I just lay down. As noisy as it got, I could still hear the others outside gossiping about my yells after getting up from bed. The most common question asked that I heard was, "_Why_ does he cry out?" They said nothing to cramp my style or did anything to show it after I got up, but it what I over heard made me wonder what those guys actually talk about. I'm sure Omi's still thinks I'm "unworthy of being a monk at the temple" because I betrayed the temple and all, but that's all behind me.

Well, those guys obviously couldn't wait any longer to find out. Your probably wondering how I possibly noticed. After your friends knock down—no—_burn _down your bedroom door, you'll know. What were they trying to do, rob me of my stuff? Sheesh!

"Okay, Rai," Kimiko said as she panted and pointed a finger at me, "your going to tell us what's up whether you want to or not!"

"But Kimiko," interrupted Omi, "Doesn't everyone know that the sky is up? Perhaps Raimundo is not as smart as he is suppose to be."

I could feel my face get red at Omi's comment. Was he calling me stupid? _Stupid?_

Man, was he _so_ going down!

"I dare you to say that again, Bubble Boy, you'll regret it, but after what I do to you, I sure won't!" Obviously sensing that I was going to lunge (and try to kill) Omi, Clay and Kimiko tried their best to keep me away from the writhing cue ball. It worked, but I was still very, very angry. He just had to make one of his "little" inquiries, didn't he?

"Calm down, lil' partner!" Clay shouted at Omi, who was still trying to escape the room. "Rai's not really gonna hurt ye, right?" The look on the cowboys face made me straighten up. Ha, but once they got out of the room, my plan is to tackle Omi to the ground!

"Rai, all we want from you is to know what's been bothering you lately. Once we know what's going on with you in your sleep, we can all go to sleep. Now, is Hannibal messing with your head again?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Positive?"

"Yep."

"Are you –?"

"What's said once is usually meant to _be_ once! You want me tell you what's up? I'll _tell_ you what's up!" I was really starting to loose my patience now.

("The sky?" Omi asked in wonderment.)

"Today is suppose to be a normal day, but I can't change the past! This is the day Pa left, and he had no choice! The law demanded that he had to go! _The law got him into trouble!"_

I could feel my face getting hot. My eyes started to water. It was that horrible moment in time… But, as we all know, we can never change the past. The past is given to us as memories of the best parts of our life to the worst. Some of these memories stand out a little more than others. In this case, this memory stood out far, far more than any other bad or good memories. Good things in life we want to remember. Bad things, like this, drive us to insanity and bring dread with it. (I know a lot more about this stuff than you think, eh?) As I began to… cry, I noticed that no one had dared to move or talk. The footsteps from Master Fung walking down the hall even stopped. Was I ignoring them, or was this silence real?

I felt a small hand pat my back. Looking up, I saw only Clay and Kimiko. Realizing it was Omi I looked down.

"It is alright, Raimundo," Omi said in his sympathetic voice. "Even though you are a _very_ unskilled monk, (I couldn't help but sigh at this comment) I must say, you _are_ a _bit_ luckier than I."

"What do you mean by that?" I asked.

"I, unlike you—" Great, is this another I-am-better comment and lecture? "—I do not have any family. You are very—I mean, you are lucky to have a known family."

"Thanks, little dude. Except for when you skipped the very lucky part, that was a pretty good cheer-up."

Kimiko came to my side. "But what was that thing about your father?" she asked. "Yeah, you do talk about your family a lot, but never mentioned any thing about your dad, or at least not like that at all. Can you tell us about it?"

Well, being my awesome self, I knew my friends wanted to know what was going on. Just so you know, I know not because they knocked down my door and Omi called me stupid. I knew because they're my friends (and because I'm awesome! --) and so I sat and told them about my dream. And since you guys already have been told about my dream, let's start where we left off, shall we?

--

Author's quick note: Raimundo is no longer telling this part of the story.

"Papa, you just _can't_ leave!" wailed a five-year-old Raimundo. "Why do you have to go?"

Andre Pedrosa stopped packing to look at his only son. (Rai's brothers and sisters weren't born quite yet.) Raimundo was such a young boy, and yet he was so full of energy and mischief. Looking into his little boy's forest green eyes, Andre knew that the look demanded an answer.

"War." That was the last word Raimundo and his mother heard from his father from that moment on.

As the years past, life at the circus was forever the same. Raimundo just couldn't feel the same jovial mood given to him by Andre. There was much hope that his dad would come home safe and sound. That was all relinquished after a letter from the military was received from the mail. It said that after being sent on a solo mission, Andre didn't come back at the required time. His fellow soldiers looked and looked almost all around the possible places in the world for him. Andre had simply seemed to vanish.

The news had completely crushed the Pedrosas, and even Raimundo's newborn brother seemed unhappy. What would happen now that their father was lost, and possibly forever?

--

There you have it, folks. Who knows what'll happen next! Uh, well yeah, as the author I should know, but I can't tell! (To tell you the truth, I just grab the first idea that comes to mind and do that…) Any way, R&R!


	3. Clues and Life at Sea Breeze

Chapter 3: Clues and Life at Sea Breeze

Hey, it's me again! Hope you didn't miss me so much that you'd do something crazy! (Though it would be worthwhile. I mean, you got to admit that my looks are worth dying for!) Any way, before we continue the wondrous story of my life, there are a few things you should know before we get well on our way.

Since you don't know much about the people in my past circus life, I think you should know about my circus buds. First off to be introduced, one of my best friends, Trent. Sure, he can be a bit grumpy at times, but you got to learn to live with him to actually know him. Trent is sorta like Kimiko, except more of a geek kind of guy and less into technology. No, he isn't like one of those geeks on TV; Trent's just really a smart mouthed dude. The guy had a girlfriend who really got me freaked out. Keep in mind, _had_. To make it in a sense that you can understand, I'll just tell you what happened…

--

"Trenty, you're the bestest boyfriend ever!" Tasha said loudly as Raimundo entered the room and sat down in a chair. Glancing at him from the corner of her eye, Tasha hugged Trent tightly around his arms and waist.

"Err, right. Tasha, you're squishing me! You can let go now— Ow, ow!"

Both of Trent's friends sighed. They all knew Tasha could be a little clingy sometime, and that usually got annoying. It annoyed Raimundo's black haired friend at times, other wise he enjoyed Tasha's sudden bursts of attention. Usually those bursts came when Raimundo came into the room, and yet they found nothing suspicious. (HOW COULD THEY NOT FIND ANY SUSPICOUS THINGS?)

Fluttering her eyelashes, Tasha nudged Trent and said sweetly, "Hey, honey, could you get me a glass of water? I'm really thirsty."

Making sure Trent was well on his way, she turned to Marco, another friend of Rai. Knowing Marco was a little more senseless, Tasha said plainly, "Bathroom." All of a sudden Marco felt a tight knot in his lower stomach. "I gotta go!" he said quickly. With that, he scurried off to the nearest restroom.

Tasha giggled to herself as congratulations to the completion of her mission. She was finally alone with Raimundo! _You're such a silly boy, Trent_, she thought, _leading the_ _president of the 'I-Love-Rai Club' straight to Rai!_ The chuckling girl sat down daintily next to Raimundo.

"Hello Raimundo," she said in a seductive manner. "I'm _really_ cold. Could you warm me up?"

Since the mission to win his heart was so obvious, Raimundo scooted away from the blonde. "In your dreams, you _freak!_" he screamed.

"Trent! It doesn't take that long to get water! STEP ON IT! Marco! Get off the pot! IT'S AN EMERGENCY! Trent's girlfriend is going insane!"

--

Yes, that would be the day I became fully aware of that creep-show fan club of mine. You just never know what'll happen when you're alone with your friend's "girlfriend". I actually saw Tasha at the circus acts, cheering with the fan club. As much as the Sea Breeze Circus is unlike most circuses and more exciting, they don't like it. Sadly, they only like me.

And now we move on to my other friend, Marco. As mentioned, he's not so bright. Girls fall for him anyway. After awhile they realize he's a bit of a slacker, and then they dump him. That has happened more than thirty times. Nah, there's no story to go with him. If there was, it would've of been some of the many times he's been turned down. Oh wait; there is a short story I can tell you!

--

"Hurry, call the fire station! Raimundo, you can do some stuff with air; bring in some water!"

At a time when Raimundo didn't know the source of his power to control the air, there was a great fire, and the blue and white tent of Sea Breeze was blazing hot. Making quick gestures to the ocean water with his hands, Raimundo hovered water high above his head and threw it at the tent. It doused only a small percentage of the flames.

Sirens filled the air as the smoke did. The firefighters were finally here! As Raimundo tried to rapidly throw water onto the burning tent, the fellow residents and firefighters filled buckets with water. Having a quirky feeling all of a sudden, Trent realized there was no possible way that they could douse the fire in time. Thanks to an idea, they got them all saved.

"Raimundo!" he shouted.

"Yeah?"

"Make a storm!"

Willing to do anything to save the circus, Raimundo reluctantly obeyed. Rising water toward the heat of the sun, he let it evaporate into clouds. Then, with a swirling motion grouped the clouds together and added some high winds. The sky began to turn dark. Soon enough, thunder was heard and rain came pouring down. What do you know; Rai's powers were useful in circus acts _and_ saving the circus itself!

After everyone was absolutely sure that the fire had been eliminated, a firefighter went up to congratulate Trent and Rai.

"You saved us a lot of work, kids," he said. "But what was the cause of the fire?"

Before either one of the boys could answer, Marco appeared with two fried sticks in his hands.

"Guys, we're going to need to buy me some new drumsticks… I accidentally rubbed them together and burned them."

--

Now you know why they say not to play with fire (or in some cases, Kimiko…). You're probably wondering what all this nonsense has to do with me and my pa. Well, let's start off with the story you just heard about Marco. The thing that was a bit funny about that was that his drumsticks were made out of a fireproof metal. So, I'm assuming, since my buddy isn't very bright, someone switched his real sticks for the wooden ones he showed us. Plus, while searching around the burned tent for surviving items and people, I found that somebody, or something, scratched a message in a bare patch of dirt. The message? "HERE". I'm thinking that it means my dad was, well here.

The story about Trent's "girlfriend" had something weird about it too. You see, when Trent came rushing back to the room where Tasha was trying to corner me, he had to set the glass of water down somewhere, right? As he tried to cope with the crazy fan girl, I noticed that the glass had something extra in it. It was a small, gold, circular shaped locket that Pa used to wear all the time. I still can't open it. (Today, you know it as the medallion I wore with my old hood shirt and while training with the others.) While Trent turned around in astonishment (according to Trent himself), someone must've slipped it into the water.

Oh, and there's another short story I want to share with you. This one is about my current family. Just so you know, my brothers' names are Rico, Diego, Mixel, and Ade. My sisters' names are Rita and Anita (those two are twins), Victoria, and Maya. I did have to baby-sit them before, but they're "manageable".

--

"I look like a guy from a seventies' band."

"Nonsense, Raimundo! Even if it does—"

"It does."

"—We all have to wear them any way!"

"Fine. Wait right here, I'll be right back."

Juanita sighed as her son ran off to the dressing rooms. The boy never really liked any of the costumes given to the family. She had to admit, her children looked a _bit_ funny in the blue and white spandex suits. It made Juanita happy that she didn't have to go out and act in those. Rapid footsteps behind her told Juanita that Raimundo had returned. Turning around to see, it was quite "disappointing" to see that Raimundo had put on a white T-shirt and black shorts to cover up the costume.

"Raimundo," Juanita said in a demanding voice, "take that shirt and those shorts off. Now!"

"Please, Ma, don't look at me like that… It scares the crap out of me!"

"Take it off!"

"Yes Ma'am… Now, do I look _any_ better now that the T-shirt is off? I don't think so!"

"Just go out there do your act."

The brunette could hear all eight of his siblings giggle at the scolding received by their mother. They all thought the outfits were embarrassing, but they all agreed that it was funny that Raimundo, their hot shot big brother, had to wear it too.

--

Yeah, that was just an embarrassing moment of my life, no doubt about that. Me wearing that suit was on the front page of the newspaper! The title was "Modern Rocker Goes to the 70's". It was the front page for at least two weeks. Ma's lucky that she's a bit too old to perform. I bet she tried to convince the ringmaster that wearing those spandex suits were awkward, but the ringmaster of Sea Breeze is just plain old stubborn. (Even more stubborn than me!) At least it kept the fan club away for a few days. Humph, a few days _only_…

--

So, what do you think? Yeah, after I crammed all the stories in this chapter, it did end up longer than the other two (I think…). I know that in my first fic Raimundo had sixteen other siblings, but that's was just a small error inferred by me. Also, the part where Rai was wearing that spandex suit was inspired by PandaLexi at deviatart. Please R&R!


	4. Picking the Lock

Chapter 4: Picking the Lock

Hi again. A few days ago I tried picking open the locket with an original technique. Using one of Kimiko's hairpins isn't exactly the best idea, especially if you never asked. After that, I tried using some of Clay's Texas hot sauce to melt the tiny keyhole. Once again, that didn't work. I should've asked for permission. Then, since neither one of those would work any wonders, I actually asked for Omi's permission. He sprayed me with water even before I could try the idea. What was the idea? The idea was to open the medallion with his shiny, baldhead and use it as a hammer.

Well, now here I am trying to think up some way to open the lock. Pa never told me where the key was. After all, his friends from the army said it was the only trace of him after he went missing. They did say I looked a lot like him though, so that's why I have it. I'm like a living statue so I can be in the image of my dad. It's probably the reason Ma looks a little sad when she looks at me. If I could read her mind when she looked at me, the thought would probably be, _who_ _are you: Raimundo or Andre?_

Hmm, do you think I could use one of the Sheng Gong Wu? Man, I wish we had the Eagle Scope. That way I could combine it with the Fountain of Hui and find the key. Better yet, find Pa and bring him back to Brazil or to the temple. Before he went packing and I when I was so upset that I didn't say anything, Pa said that even if he did die or if he was gone for a long time, he would be watching over me on the brightest star in the sky. Kind of like a guardian angel. (Oy, I remember when Hannibal Bean said that. That's creepy…). That thought always makes me think he's been turned into a ghost or a wandering spirit.

I remember seeing the key a few times before. It was a silver key; small, yet heavy. Pa always laughed at me when I stared at it while holding it in my hands. How could something so small be so heavy? (Maybe I should ask Omi that.). He said it was because the key was made out of a special metal from space or something like that. Maybe it was a piece of star. Either way, it looked like the material that made our Wudai Weapons. Let me tell you a little something; you know the second curve on top of the Blade of the Nebula? I'm pretty sure the top of the key looked something like that. Could it be that the key was made from Sheng Gong Wu material?

So, lately I've been borrowing Kimiko's microscope (don't worry, I asked for her permission) and looking at the Wu and Wudai Weapons more closely. I am absolutely positive that the key is made out of the same material as them.

I'm scared of what might I'll find inside the locket. Will I find a location? Will I find a note that has Pa's final words after dying? Will I find a picture inside like any other locket? Who knows? Until I find the silver key, I shall be left clueless and squeezing my t— I take that back. No, I was not going to say "teddy bear"! I was going to say…uh, tummy. Wait, I take that back too. Dudes, would you guys just stop asking me questions?

Any who, I got to get going. I can hear the others scream at me from down the hall. I'll be back with all of you in a few seconds. Hours. Days. Okay, I don't know. Just keep waiting. (And waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting…)

--

"Raimundo, quickly now; we do not have the rest of the seasons to wait for you," Master Fung said in his calm voice.

"There is a package here for you. The note says it's very important."

Bowing to Master Fung, Raimundo took the package. What could be inside was a mystery. Raimundo shook the box. A small clinking noise came from inside. Hopefully it wasn't one of Jack's robots. The box didn't have any address it was from or anything. It could've been from any one or anywhere. Rai made a nervous gesture towards his friends and master.

"Kay, guys, I'm not taking any chances with this, so get ready."

Sheng Gong Wu came flying out of pockets, hair, (to bad for Omi…), and Clays hat. Everyone was in a fighting stance, even Dojo looked battle-ready.

Still being cautious, Raimundo peeled the tape off the small box. The sticky sound was the only noise in the room and made everybody nervous. Finally getting that done, the Dragon of the Wind shut his eyes tight and held his head back away from the package. He opened it ever so slowly. What was in it? Rai peered inside. Phew, nothing but a shiny silver key. Wait, SILVER KEY?

Everyone relaxed except for Raimundo. Holding it up so everyone could see, he began to shake due to excitement.

"Rai," Kimiko said, "what's the matter?"

"Yeah, partner, you look as happy as an ant with a crumb and as freaked out as a cow with a coyote."

"Raimundo, do you feel heavy-footed?"

"Light headed."

"That too."

Rai shook his head. This was the key! He could finally open the locket! _This is it_, he thought to himself. The revealing moment had arrived to him in a package that wasn't very big, but the moment itself weighed a ton. It was small, but heavy. How? Maybe the answer was inside the spiral-patterned medallion. But still, it was about to be opened!

"Rai?"

It was Kimiko again.

"Are you going to tell us, or do I have to burn down your door again?"

_Dang, Kim, the door is still in progress of being rebuilt!_ Raimundo thought.

"This is the key," he said proudly, "that'll tell me what is in this locket!" The brunette held up his medallion in a happy matter.

"That's a locket?"

"Yep!"

"I thought lockets were only for girls."

"Shut up."

Still trembling, Raimundo brought the tiny key to the keyhole. He turned it and the locket gave a small click. Trying to open it quickly, Rai stumbled upon his fingers. Since the brunette felt that his hands were too big and stubby, he requested that Kimiko or Omi open it. Omi was smaller, so he opened the locket with no trouble at all. The Dragon of Water gave it back to his fellow monk quickly. Raimundo looked like he would explode if he didn't find out what was inside. He gasped. Word for word, was it really true?

"Partner, what's wrong _now?_"

Rai's thoughts: _Holy crap!_

--

Can YOU guess what's inside? I'm obviously sure of the answer, but I think it'll be fun if I could hear (actually read) the people's answers. Please R&R!


	5. Is This the Answer?

Chapter 5: Is This the Answer?

"Holy crap," I repeated to myself, but this time out loud.

"C'mon, partner, what in that locket?"

"Yeah, Rai, nothing can possibly be that bad."

Actually, it wasn't that bad at all. It wasn't good either. Fact was, it was beyond extreme! Inside that locket was the shiniest, biggest blue diamond that I had ever seen, or at least touched. I had a little trouble getting it out at first. The edges almost touched the sides of the locket, and I was afraid if I tipped it out it would slip through my fingers and shatter. That would've caused all of us to go blind because it's reflected light was so bright. In reaction to the thought, I shut the locket, I just didn't lock it back up. He he, lock it and locket… Oh, sorry for the lame pun.

"That's even bigger than what Papa has ever found," Kimiko whispered after viewing the diamond. Yeah, I admit that's hard to believe. I scored the JACKPOT!

"Clay, you say your grandpa used to work in a diamond mine. How much do you think it's worth?"

Lucky for him, his hands are huge, so when he tipped Pa's locket, it fell into his hands without any doubt.

"I'd say more than… Well, it's definitely worth more than what Granddad use to teach me. It could give ye more than millions!"

I stared at the bling, err, I mean, diamond for a while. Pa knew that Ma's favorite kind of jewel was a diamond, why didn't he give it to her? Well, not that she begged for it or anything, but it would've been a nice thing to give the diamond to Ma. Especially on Valentines Day or their Anniversary. Wait a sec, Ma… Eureka!

"Raimundo, why does your face show excitement?" Omi asked curiously.

Of course, I ignored him and went straight to asking Dojo for a request. The little dude did kinda freak out when he saw me stampeding over to him. Quickly, Dojo began to scamper up Master Fung's sleeve, but with Fung-master's help, I managed to get the dragon out.

"Dojo," I said excitedly, "do you think you can take me to Brazil? It's an emergency! Oh, and make it fast! _Really_ fast!"

Dojo gave me a look. "Huh, going back to your little circus are you? Ha! I knew a boy with soft hands would miss his mommy!"

I shook my head. "No, suit brain, _I'm going to find my dad!_"

--

The ride was breezy, just as usual. Being a wind guy, I liked it. Unfortunately, Omi liked cold too, so I couldn't make fun of him or anything. Kimiko had a hard time adapting to the setting of cool. You'd think she'd be use to it; after all, Japan is a cold place very often. Huh, Clay? I don't really care. As much as he eats, I'm sure he could survive two winters hibernating.

Anyhow, when we finally landed by the circus in Rio, I was first to jump of Dojo. I was pretty sure the blue diamond represented the circus and Ma. Maybe Pa was back at the circus, or maybe Ma met up with him and knows where he is now. Yeah, and maybe those two are at the Iguassa Waterfalls, catching up on the lost time. One thing was absolutely sure though; those guys are so slow when it comes to getting off the back of a dragon! We've been getting on and of Dojo since we've started training! C'mon, guys, don't leave me hanging…

"Hurry up, you slow-pokes!" I shouted to them. Kimiko snorted.

"Hurry up? Hey mister, thanks to your great navigating skills, we pretty much flew in circles at one point. We flew for _three_ days!"

After that problem was resolved, we all walked to the location of the Sea Breeze Circus. I did see a few people stare at me and whisper. _Pfft, some welcome home to their circus_ _star_, I thought. All I wanted was a small, "Welcome back, Rai," but instead I got some stares, whispers, and a total nightmare.

"OH MY GOSH, IT'S RAI!" screamed an unpleasantly familiar voice. I groaned. Whey was Tasha still alive?

"Guys, start running," I said anxiously. I realized they'd ask why, so to save time I just snatched them all and began running. All their weight combined was heavy, but I was running for the sake of my life and didn't care. Besides, the fan club was made up of at least thirty screaming girls! After running for a while, I began to get tired. There was no mortal way of out running them all. Hey, but technically I'm not mortal. I am the Dragon of the Wind!

"Hold on, guys!" I told them confidently. Focusing on my powers, I managed to do what nature itself probably can't do alone; I got the wind blowing two ways at once. One way was toward the chasers to slow them down, and the other way was toward us to speed us up. I was surprised that it actually worked. Well, it worked, but I lost some control over it. You see, I began to speed the wind up, just to save time, but I sped it up to much that I lost some footwork and fell. That's when both winds immediately stopped.

"Partner, what was that for?" Clay asked, dusting of his hat.

Before answering, I checked to see if the pursuers were still there. Luckily, they were terrified and ran away. "Nothing much," I answered.

--

"How much further?" Kimiko panted.

"Just down the hill!"

Ah, home sweet home. Sea Breeze was exactly how I remember it; by the sea (well duh!), shady palm trees, sea gulls over head, and a few of my circus buddies hangin' by the beach. Home was an absolute paradise that could've been heaven! (Though, I still wish Kimiko's place were mine… Huh? No, I'm not thinking about marrying Kim! That's just plain wrong and against the laws of all nature! Hear me? _All!_)

Marco spotted me and waved. Glaring at his one present friend, Trent opened his mouth to scold him but then spotted me. "Hey!" he shouted aloud to make sure everyone in the circus could hear. "Hey everybody, Rai's back! He's brought some people from the temple place and a gecko!"

("Gecko?" Dojo said soberly.)

Now _this_ was going to be a good welcome!

--

"Maya, pass the chips!" Mixel shouted over the hubbub. All my little brothers and sisters had gotten older. When I left, I was a freshman at high school and they were all in first, second, and third grade. About two years have passed, and now I'm a junior and they're in third, forth and fifth. Lucky for them they're going to end up smarter than me. I basically skipped a chunk of high school! Trent got a new girl friend, Sophia. She's more like Trent, and apparently she hates me and is trying to teach me some order.

"Trent has told me about your little circus," Sophia said. Wow, she's strict. I think I remember her from geometry. "Apparently, you have no care in what you do. You need to learn responsibility, Rai! Any way, blah blah blah blah blah..."

Humph, my name probably the only use of slang that girl is ever going to use. I have a feeling that Trent's gonna keep this girl for good. It makes me feel glad I'm not related to him. After pretending to listen to what Sophia was saying, I ate with the others and explained everything to my mom. She apologized for not knowing where Dad was.

"But don't think we haven't been looking either!" she said. "How about tomorrow we start looking around for him? If you don't mind, it'll be the first thing you'll probably do on your second day back."

I shook my head. "Sure. Just make sure you let me sleep in. Hey, squirt, stop pulling on my hair!" Ade laughed and ran off to join the others. Tomorrow the search begins.

--

Sorry it took so long to update. Lately my teachers have been giving my class tons of homework! Well any way, hope you liked the chapter. Please R&R!


	6. A Stranger's Gift

Chapter 6: A Stranger's Gift

"Are you sure he's here?" I asked shouting over the rush of the waterfall. Ma nodded.

"Iguassu Falls has always been Andre's favorite place to be. I'm absolutely positive."

I grabbed one of the towels that we had brought along and swiped the water off of my face. Getting wet was the least of our problems. We were searching for my dad, _and_ trying to avoid getting crushed by cascading water weighing like a thousand pounds as it came down. The only one who was happy being there was Omi. (Hey, his head is shaped like a bubble; maybe he'll pop and explode into nothing.)

After what seemed like hours, I looked up. People were up there. Tourists. Huh, the thing about seeing tourists is when they come, it seems that you always see a complete set. Oh, let's use this family: a mom, a dad, a sister, and a brother. It's like I always get jealous when I see that. Sure, there is the occasional boy or girl by them selves, but they usually have parents. Single, adopted, only child, one, but pretty much always have parents. Heck, _you_ probably have both parents. (Heck, who _are _you?)

Unfortunately, I looked up too long and water got into my eyes. When I was done crashing into almost every object around as I felt the burn, I fell. Luckily I had wandered off the hard rocks and into the soft grass. I heard Maya running and laughing nearby and called out to her.

"Hi Rai!" she said happily as she skipped over. "Why your eyes close?"

"I got water in my eyes. Go get me a towel or something."

When she left, I kept my eyes closed. I was afraid if I opened my eyes the climate here would make them sizzle. If worse, evaporate into nothing. I guess that would make me a living Blind Swordsman.

There was a crunch of grass heard. Wow, Maya's gotten fast since I've been gone!

"Hello?" I cried out. No reply.

"Maya?"

I heard a slight swoosh. Maya was just playing ghost with the towel, right? I gulped and began to get tense. What if it _was_ a ghost? Wait a sec, I don't believe in ghost… Oh wait, the Treasure of the Blind Swordsman, Wuya, and Dashi… Okay, never mind.

The thing began to rush faster. Apparently, it began to run toward me. _Please be Maya!_ _Please be Maya!_ I thought as I freaked out. Why wasn't I running? Well, I couldn't see and my eyes still burned. If I was lucky enough, it could just be a bear. Maybe it was one the others, messing around with the Shroud of Shadow or it was Omi practicing.

"Raimundo…" it whispered. Where had I heard that voice before? Though I felt I've heard the stranger before, I backed away. I couldn't feel to breathe or move any more.

"… The key." I had no idea if I should trust "it". Well, I had the locket, and I don't think anyone could beat me up with a key or anything. (Though it's small, it's still heavy for a key. Oh, that means I can get beat up with a key…). With caution, I rummaged through my pocket, eyes still closed. I don't remember if my eyes stopped hurting then, but I was too terrified to open them any way. After I felt out the silver key, I handed it over.

Immediately something was placed into my out stretched hand. Unable to hold in my excitement, I open my eyes. Pain surged through my head and I closed my eyes again. I had opened my eyes to fast. Again I heard footsteps. This time it really was Maya, and she actually was playing ghost.

"Whoooooooo!" she gasped, "I'm a ghost!"

I couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"Just hand me the towel, squirt."

Finally I could open my eyes again. Maya saw the thing in my hand and asked, "Hey, what's that paper for?"

"Paper?"

I looked down. The stranger had placed in my hand a piece of paper that was rolled up.

--

Ma had told us to leave her alone so she could analyze the paper carefully. Nobody had seen the content of it, not even me. About one hour had passed. Wow, Ma was really taking her time. Clay pressed his ear against the door.

"It's really quiet in there. Ye sure she's alright?"

I hesitated to answer. Silence from Ma was very common; sometimes it was hard to tell if she was even breathing at all. Then again, it _had_ been an hour, and she never _ever_ takes that long to look at something, especially paper. Well, the paper could've said any thing, couldn't it?

"She'll be okay."

Apparently growing impatient, Kimiko pulled out her computer and connected one of her gadgets to it. After typing some kind of code, she turned the thing on. She set it on the floor next to the door that was partitioning us from my mom. Kim left it alone for a few seconds and flipped another switch.

"Right now it's sending out little cameras," Kimiko explained. "I can control them using my desktop. It shouldn't be long…"

Suddenly the camera-shooting thing sparked and broke down. Uh, whoops, I forgot to tell them that the doors of my school (there's barely any privacy at the circus) are kinda hack proof. You know, in case some dudes try to break in.

Finally Ma came out. We all ran toward her to hear of her findings. She smiled.

"It's a map that points out the location of Andre!" Ma said excitedly. "We must thank whoever gave you this resource, Raimundo, it is only the right thing to do."

I shrugged. "I don't know who gave it to me. My eyes were closed."

Omi slapped himself on the forehead. "You do not know who the stranger is because you had your eyes close? Raimundo, when receiving something you should receive, while you receive it, you are supposed to look the person who is having you receive what you are suppose to receive!"

Ignoring Omi, I walked up to my mom and asked for the map. "We can probably find Pa on Dojo. And maybe even the guy who gave me the map."

(My friends were a little shocked for some reason. I didn't have to wonder much because before I could start thinking, Kimiko said, "What made _you_ the decision maker?")

Ma sighed. "Going already? This is only your second day back!"

"Don't worry. Technically we're Dragon Masters, so I'll be home."

"Well, stay for one more night. Then tomorrow you'll be rested up and ready to leave."

--


	7. The Stranger's Second Gift

Chapter 7: The Stranger's Second Gift

Since that night was going to be my last night back from the temple, Ma invited some friends and family over. Or how I like to call it, everybody in Rio. We stayed up late eating, drinking, (I could've sworn that Omi was drunk. I'm pretty sure he's still a minor…) playing games, and all that other party stuff everyone usually does. Then after the party was over, we all had to clean up and shower. Obviously we were all pooped out when we all headed to bed.

I went as quick as I could to change into my sleeping clothes and plopped down carelessly into my old bed. What do you know; it's still soft and plushy. If I wanted to get a good start on finding Dad, I'd have to get a good rest. Heck, while I'm here I might be able to sleep in, unlike at the temple. But no, it was always get up early, even when I didn't want to and it was my own choice. As I finally began to drift to sleep, I heard a rustle outside. Since I was too darn tired (okay, lazy) to get up and do anything about it, I shrugged it off, decided it was the wind, and went back to snoozing.

There was a tap on my bedroom window. _Ugh, stupid trees!_ I thought and put a pillow over my head. Can't a guy get any descent sleep around here? Then I heard a scratch. Oh, come on! I don't want a draft coming in here! A soft click came from the window. The creaking of the window opening just made me hope the wind was really, really strong. It should be since I was there, right? And again I shrugged it off and dozed off. That's when I felt someone—hopefully not some_thing_—tap my shoulder. Okay, now I'm officially scared.

"_Raimundo…"_ Oh, heck not again! The same chill came to me again. What did this guy want from me? At least my eyes were open this time. But because I was facing the opposite of the window, I only saw the dude's shadow. And again I was completely terrified, but I had the nerve this time to talk.

"W-what?" Yep, that would be my nerve.

"…"

"Phew…"

"_No, I'm still here."_

I began to scream. "AAHH—!"

The stranger put his hand over my mouth. At first I had felt relieved that it seemed to be a living thing. Well, it was until his hand seeped into my head! MY HEAD!

"See the past, Raimundo… see the past…" 

Whoa… I fell nauseous…

--

Andre looked out the window with confidence, ready to do his next task. He had signed up for the all the hardest tasks hoping that would shorten his time serving the military. This job was especially risky. Many had taken the challenge and barely escaped with their lives or died. The land had many volcanoes and other natural disasters, making the place highly barren. Why did Andre need to go there? Since the place was deserted, a lot of assassins, killers, and other lawbreakers have taken refuge there. They've been there so long that they know the secrets of hiding from destruction. When people come looking, they do their job.

Finally getting to this unknown land, Andre began his search in an old building. Each floor of the seemingly ancient tower was examined carefully. Apparently nothing was wrong, but Andre couldn't help feel that something was wrong. Well, all floors have been checked; no rock was left unturned, and not a fly stirred. So there couldn't possibly be anything wrong with the building. What was—?

There was a loud rumble. Unfortunately that was only the beginning of the earthquake. As fast as he could, Andre tried to run out of the building. Going too fast, he tripped on the stairs. The ceiling looked ready to crumble away any second. It was too late to do anything now. Andre covered his head, hoping he would live. Then, just as a large chunk of the ceiling came crashing down, two walls collided into each other and formed a kind of barrier protecting Andre.

The soldier sighed in relief. He was still alive. Now the question was, how could he get out? Andre couldn't bust down the walls; if he did, the debris above him would crush him. If he stayed there, there wouldn't be much chance that his fellow army men would find him. Luckily Andre had stumbled upon a room with boxes of food. Yes, they were all probably out-dated, but it was food. As he attempted to get up and get them, a sharp pain in his leg told Andre that he had broken some part of his leg. Still determined, Andre began dragging himself over. He knew he probably wouldn't live long, but he would try to live as long as he could.

--

I woke up, freaked out of what I dreamed. Since I had so many questions, I turned to ask the stranger dude. He wasn't there.

Apparently it was mourning. Looking out the window, I saw my friends eating breakfast. I didn't really feel left out; usually I'm always the last one to eat because I sleep in. Well, Mixel was there beside me, and that kinda freaked me out. Heck, everyone freaks me out…

"Mama saided to wake you up, Rai," he said in a sleepy way. "Your friends are already almost doned with breakfast."

"Tell her I'll be done in a little bit, okay?"

"Kay."

As soon as Mixel trotted off, I started to get dressed. I rummaged through my clothes and found my old hoodie. Oh gees, those days… Finally I found my other shirt and my medallion. Looking closer at it, I finally noticed it was getting a little rusty. Huh, it doesn't really matter any way.

I went quickly down the steps, eager to eat. And like Mixel said, cowboy, uptown girl, and shorty were already done eating. Nah, I didn't tell them. After all, was only a funny little dream, right? Either way, it freaked me out and the stranger guy was, well… weird.

As if they could read my mind, my friends gave me the "is-something-wrong?" look. I just shook my head and started to eat some waffles. Ugh, something taste funny.

"Raimundo, you just ate poison ivy."

"Huh? Io doen ge wha hapnin! Ack!"

What did I eat? Aw, gross! This is the nastiest thing I have ever tasted! In fact, it taste like Trent's socks! Hey, forget that, it was a dare. But still, blech!

"This could delay some stuff," Kimiko said in disgust. "Ew… Juanita, what do we do to get rid of his swollen tongue?"

Ma laughed. Please don't tell them about that one time…

"Well wouldn't you know," she started. Man, she was going to tell… "That this is Raimundo's second time doing this! It happened just before—what's his name? —Master Fung requested him to the temple. The airport we were at had some poison ivy for some reason and we were just saying our goodbyes. Now, fly was just buzzin' around Rai's head and he was trying to swat it. He got off balance and landed into a pot just full of ivy! ("No wonder Rai's such a hot head…" Kim muttered.)" Ma gave another laugh.

"Will it go away?" Clay asked.

"'Course it will. It'll take a few days, possibly a few weeks, to go away."

"Is there a cure?"

"Oh yes; we used it on Rai the last time. All I need for the cure now is some sand from the beach. If you could just fetch it for me while I prepare the other stuff, Rai should stop itching his tongue by tomorrow."

I knew itching my tongue was not exactly normal, but I just had to scratch. Besides, my tongue was swollen to the point where I had to open my mouth to make room for it. Why Ma had poison ivy, I don't know. (She said she was experimenting for some herbal thingy.)

"Well, the sooner the better. Sorry, partner, but we'll have to wait one more day before going. C'mon, we can't stand here all day any way."

Before they left they looked at me in pity. I could hear Omi laughing his head off once they were outside. Heh, at least at got to hear him shout in dismay after Kim shot his butt on fire.

--

Yeah, I know, long time. Even though people don't read my Spirited Away fic, I want to finish it any way. (You all should watch that movie. It's really good.) Any how, R&R!


	8. A Boring Wait

Chapter 8: A Boring Wait

Okay, since I have no idea what my friends have been doing while I'm sitting here, I'm just going to have to tell you about my tragic situation. First of all, I can barely lift my head from my pillow because my tongue is so darn heavy at the moment. Ma said it stopped swelling, but tell that to my aching head! It reminds me of that really weird time when me and the guys were hit with the Woozy Shooter…

--

"_Hey, guys, can you touch you tongue to your nose?"_

--

… Well _that_ was completely humiliating. Anyhow, now that I'm pretty much done explaining the plot, I'll just sit here. And wait. For a long, long time. And I'm still waiting. And waiting. And w—stupid fly… Get off my tongue! Ugh, I don't wanna know what _that_ flavor is! Good, it flew away. Great, now what do I talk about? I'd talk to you, but I don't know you, and I don't talk to strangers. Yeah, technically since you're a stranger, I'm already talking to you but you can't talk back. At least I get a nice ocean view… Hey, where's my teddy b—I mean, where's my, uh, socks?

After awhile, since I was so bored, I began to make a game out of trying to lift my head up and off my pillow. Who knows, it could exercise my neck, whatever THAT can be used for… I had my wins and losses, (but mostly losses) but either way, it was pretty darn boring and unentertaining. So to make use of my time, I tried to at least get a mirror to see how much the ivy really did affect me. I mean, it couldn't possibly that bad, can it? It was only a bit of ivy, after all.

Finally, I got enough strength to get myself to the bathroom to look in the mirror. It was hard getting off the floor and onto the counter, and I tell you it _wasn't_ worth it! That thing in the mirror was so outrageously hideous! What is that…? Oh… me. Wait one sec as I cry my heart out…

-One-Hour Later-

Sniff… Okay, I'm done now. Now that I've stopped crying, I'll just—WHOA! Oh, nothing, it's just that my tongue is about the SIZE OF A DANG FOOTBALL! NOOO! This has got to be the worst day of my life! No… the worst day of my life is when dad left. Sigh… Later.

--

Andre began to close his eyes, but quickly opened them again. One bit of sleep, and it could be a permanent slumber. And goodness knows how long was the last time he got a decent sleep. Oh, and so many questions… Was Raimundo okay? Is the circus prospering as well as it was when he was there? Did his mother die? Did his wife marry off to another man? If she did, thought Andre, Raimundo better still be happy when I get back over there! That is, if he did get back to Rio…

The worn out soldier sighed and looked at the pile of old boxes next to him. On one box Andre kept track off the days as they went by. So far three months or so, but the food was running out. Andre made the food last as long as he could, but slowly the boxes became emptier, and the two stonewalls were about to collapse inward toward him and down. No telling when they would.

What would he do when he died? Andre asked himself. Juanita and him had already made a will. But how about when he died here? No one would know, and if they did find him, Andre would probably only be bones. The thinning man shivered at the thought of what might he become. He just had to do something, and quick!

There was a rumble. The walls had moved inward a few more inches. All Andre really had to do was call for help, and people would be on their way. Thieves and outlaws for sure, but they would be better then nobody at all. But the thing is, if he were to call for help, the walls would surely fall.

--

"Raimundo… Rai… RAI, WAKEY, WAKEY!"

"Huh?"

What a crazy dream… Are my friends back with the sand yet? Well, no. It was only the twins. Rita and Anita, remember?

"Wha?" I answered grumpily, seeing that my tongue was roughly the same time. (But you never know if it got a molecule smaller.)

"We gots to tell you sum-ting!" Rita said.

"Can it wai?" Then again, I'm waiting…

"It's really important!" said Anita.

"Kay, wha iz it?"

They both giggled.

"Your tongue… It looks funny!"

"Hey oo thoo, ge ba hea!" Grrr, I hate talking funny!

Well, there goes my moment of company. Hey, am I still in the bathroom? Ugh, I am. This situation is completely hopeless! First I take all my time to get to the bathroom, fall asleep, wake up, and now I have to go all the way back to my bed. Life stinks. A lot.

I don't think you guys out there want to here the rest of my time here, so this little thingy is probably going to have to end. Yeah, I know it's very, very disappointing. Face it; I just can't tell you about the rest of the day because Victoria is poking my tongue with a stick. Sorry folks, as short as this script thing is, I just don't like people to prod at my tongue. Would you? I don't think so!

--

I know, short chap. Hey, it's hard typing about nothing/randomness! For those of you who don't check my profile for updates and yap, I would like to announce that now I am accepting request and all of that. Oh, and I also changed the genre to General/Mystery because, well, you know. Please R&R!


	9. The Missing Soldier

Chapter 9: The Missing Soldier

"Ah, now _this_ is more like it! No funny talking!" I said happily. A breeze picked up, and then a harsher wind flew in our faces as Dojo dove down for landing. When my friends had finally got the sand, Ma worked her healing magic. It was a sad parting, but I left the blue diamond behind with the family; their precious keepsake. But I have high hopes of finding my dad—or at least some sign of him.

We flew according to the map. Actually, it wasn't a map at all; it was a newspaper article. Since in my dreams the location of my dad's mission is secret, I can't tell you where we are going. (Okay, so I don't know where we're going. My reading skills aren't that good so I left that to the others.) We flew back over the Atlantic Ocean. If we were going to end up back in China, I didn't know.

"Kids, welcome to—" Dojo tried to shout over a loud gust of wind. Apparently there was a miniature dust storm. After that, Dojo didn't say anything else because I guess he thought we heard him. Well, we didn't. Or at least I didn't.

"Hmm, this article is pretty pacific," said Kimiko, "so that means the building is approximately…"

She pulled out a calculator and probably did some mathy-sciencey work. We were in the middle of what seemed to be nowhere, and all Kimiko could do was her geek work?

"… The building should be at least fifty miles away from where we're standing."

Brilliant.

"Maybe if we start walkin' now, we should be… I dunno know, still not close enough?" Clay put in.

"But can't we just take Dojo? It would be a lot quicker!"

Kim snorted. "Yeah right Rai. A flying dragon here would cause even more panic than in New York City! The people who live here believe in spirits and demons. We don't know if a dragon is suppose to be a good sign or not."

"Fine," I said. There was a silence. Clay was first to break it.

"We could just use one o' them tourist buses, righ'?"

--

Before we rode in any buses, we all decided that we should all get some sleep. We went to the nearest hotel nearby. Service there looked first-class, but the person at the front counter recognized me from my awesome band and let us in for free. The problem was convincing her to let Dojo in.

"It's a dragon!" she shrieked in her native tongue. I understood her because back at the circus we had someone who spoke that language. Luckily I pick up things quickly, so I was able to talk to her.

"No," I said, "It's a gecko."

"It's a dragon! I know those scales can't belong to such a reptile!"

"Well, this is a very, uh, special gecko. You see, my buddies here study animals, and they recently discovered this, err, new species…"

The counter lady had the yeah-right look, but she let Dojo stay with us any way.

"Rai, what did ye say to her?" Clay asked.

"Nothing. Just look professional, will you?"

Other than that people started asking my friends about animals, our stay was pretty normal. The rooms were sweet. There was a bed for each of us and for Dojo a cozy little basket. Kimiko looked at a brochure to see if any buses went to the area. It was hard to find one that went there because of all the thieves there, but there were two of them. The earliest one was the next day, so we all went to the pool to chill (though we had convince Omi to not go and do his Water Dragon stuff so the other people wouldn't freak.)

Surprisingly, as much as I was happy to be in luxury, I was still anxious. Maybe I should take a look at the map…. Hmm, excuse me for a sec, I gotta ask Kim for it…

…

Okay, now what could be on this little article? Humph, I hate reading. Oh well, if it's says something about my dad then I'm willing to make a sacrifice. Ahem—

--

May 12, 1994

THE MISSING SOLDIER

By A. U. H.

As the sun shines brightly on the open waters of the beautiful city of (there was a blotch here.), a tragedy like no other had occurred. What makes it like no other, you ask? Well, just a week ago a highly dedicated soldier from Brazil had gone missing. It seemed that Andre Pedrosa had vanished into thin air.

This was a major loss to all who knew Andre; it was recorded that he was one of the most daring and brave soldier around. Most importantly, the Brazilian man was most important to his family of three children and his wife. "He was very faithful to his family," said Tarquino, a long time friend of Andre. "Though that might be why he's missing. The guy did every difficult task just so he could go home to his family."

Soldiers weren't the only people who had a say in Andre's disappearance. Back in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, the soldier's old show-biz family and friends also mourned of the loss of a great performer. After hearing about her husband, Juanita Pedrosa had made an oath to become the most successful doctor in Brazil, to see to it that no one in her family would go as Andre had. She says: "It was Andre's wish to give our children a happy and healthy lifestyle." Signs of tears showed in her eyes. "I made a promise to help him do that, but now I'm on my own now."

Juanita's three children, oldest Raimundo at age eight and twins Rita and Anita at age four. Upon hearing the news, the children's reaction is no different from anyone other of Andre's friends.

But alas, readers, for reports from residents of the area in the country (What do you know, another blotch!) say that time-to-time someone can see a Portuguese man walk around the old building of 6349, which had recently collapsed due to the series of earthquakes in the area. No one knows for sure whether this man is just a local or Andre Pedrosa himself; one thing is sure is that between the dates of March 20th through April 30th is when this stranger appears to walk around that building all day. Days following that there appear to be no pattern.

So really, what happened to the honored Andre Pedrosa? Is this stranger merely a normal citizen or Andre searching for something? What happed to Andre is a mystery to all. No matter what did happen, friends and family everywhere will honor him.

--

Ah, now I remember! That reporter came to my house that time… and my birthday is in April. Maybe I know that guy who wanders around building 6-something; maybe that guy is my dad. If he is Pa, why does he walk around that building? All this hard thinking is giving me a headache. Well, I can hear my friends calling me. Time to get some Z's.

--

Yawn… Yeah, I know. Long time me no chapter-y and you no read-y. Believe me, deciding what month Rai's birthday is in is harder than you think! Please R&R!


End file.
